like you no matter what
by eudaemonics
Summary: Link invites Shad to go with him for a trip to the hot spring in Kakariko Village and finds out something he never expected.


**based on a conversation with my friend and an idea she had:**

_**[11:58:49 PM] tubular bells:**_** okay so like shad is trans right**

_**[11:58:50 PM] sugar mountain:**_** trans boy or trans girl**

_**[11:58:50 PM] tubular bells:**_** boy though exploring shad being a trans girl don't sound half bad shads a boy in this one**

_**[11:59:20 PM] sugar mountain: **_**ok go on**

_**[12:03:43 AM] tubular bells: **_**and link has no fuckin idea right and so he's like "hey shad lets go to the hot spring in kakariko together :D" because bathing together is like the only other form of naked bonding that's not sex**

**[12:03:58 AM]**_** sugar mountain: **_**i can already tell where this is going and im here to inform you that it won't even work because apparently people in hyrule dont take off their clothes in the hot springs or at least link doesnt **

_**[12:04:32 AM] tubular bells: **_**PRETENDING THAT LINK KNOWS HOW TO TAKE A FUCKING BATH**

_**[12:04:56 AM] tubular bells:**_** but yeah shads like no and links like why and then stuff happens and links like WHOA HOLY SHIT THATS A TIDDY and at the end of it they're happy bfs**

**and i'm here to make her dreams a reality.**

**feel the warmth we'll never die.**

* * *

><p>When Link had suggested that they go to the hot spring situated in Kakariko Village together, Shad looked like he had just learned of a beloved pet's death.<p>

He couldn't have known, could he? There was absolutely no way. Shad had been living as a man for years and was skilled at hiding any outright feminine features he had, and although there was no doubting Link's intelligence, the boy's personal observation skills were not the sharpest. He had been meaning to tell Link for quite some time, since he was officially considered a member of the Resistance and everybody else knew, there was something that kept him from talking to him about it.

It might have been because Link was raised in the countryside and not accustomed to the diversity of the city. Even that was no excuse, however, since Rusl came from the very same village and knew (although it was initially a bit of a shock for him) about Shad's situation.

"I'm afraid I won't be able to accompany you, old boy," he answered after a minute of thought and hesitation, "I am truly sorry."

Instead of taking his answer, Link only expressed outright indignation. "Why not? I know you're not busy."

"On the contrary. A scholar is _always_ busy." Shad looked away from Link and back to the book he had been previously reading dismissively, "I'm sure there's others who would be absolutely thrilled to go with you."

Link scoffed, "Like who? Rusl's practically my dad, I've bathed with him plenty enough. I _really _don't want to go with Auru, and it's not like I can ask Ilia or Ashei."

"Enjoy the hot springs by yourself? Or, if you really want to be with other people, I'm sure the Gorons will keep you plenty of company in the springs up on Death Mountain—"

"Shad," Link leaned across the table, a hand gently pushing the book down and out of the other's face, "I want to go with _you_."

Shad flinched and began gently biting his bottom lip. He was certainly persistent, Shad would give him that much credit. Shad was stubborn, but when Link looked at him like that, he found it hard to say no.

"Fine. I'll go."

What was he going to do?

* * *

><p>A roof had always seemed like a very inconvenient spot for a hot spring. Shad felt like the inn's patrons would feel too exposed to consider it, but during one of his previous visits he had felt the springs were actually the inn's draw-in for customers. Kakariko was not a large village, apparently smaller than Ordon in terms of population according to Link, but then again most of the people who had once lived there had been killed by beasts.<p>

Since, in a village of only three people and the occasional Goron, they would have a great deal of privacy and perhaps that's why Link wanted to come to the hot spring in Kakariko.

Still, Shad was uneasy, nauseous even. He considered Link to be a dear friend, and what was about to happen could unfurl in several ways. He just hoped the ending was a favorable one.

Link had already undressed and was in the water, tentatively watching Shad as if he were observing him, which definitely didn't help.

"Y'know Shad, you kinda have to be naked to take a bath." Link said with a laugh; clearly an attempt to ease his friend's nerves, but unfortunately only had the opposite effect.

Might as well get it over with, Shad thought and swallowed down his courage.

He removed his jacket, then his vest, slid the bow from around his neck, and slowly unbuttoned the dress-shirt hidden beneath the previous layers. Link caught sight of something white reveal itself as the buttons were undone, assuming it was yet _another _shirt, he rolled his eyes. That is, until the shirt Shad had been removing was completely off and he realized that layer cut off at the bottom of his ribcage.

Link stared at Shad peculiarly, narrowing his eyes and cocking his head to the side. It looked like a woman's undergarment only..._tighter._ Or something he couldn't quite place.

Shad's hands went to his right side to unhook the strange garment it was slid very slowly, hesitantly, from his chest—

Link only stared wide-eyed with an expression that Shad couldn't determine for what was only a couple minutes, but felt like hours.

Those were...Those were breasts.

_Shad has breasts_ chanted in Link's currently-burning head.

After the sight had adequately processed through Link, his head turned and an arm came up to shield his eyes. His entire face was red, up to the tips of his pointed ears, and though his mouth was moving only choked vowels left him.

It would of have been kind of funny to Shad if not so distressing.

Link, on the other hand, had never saw a woman around his own age nude before, and he was honestly more focused on the realization that he had actually saw boobs rather than who they belonged to.

"Sh - Shad, I—" He stuttered, face still buried in the bend of his arm, "I - I am...I'm _so_ sorry, I th - thought you...you were…"

"A man?" Shad sighed and finished the broken sentence, "...I am."

Link made a confused sound and looked to Shad again, only for his eyes to once again be greeted with the sight of breasts and promptly returned to his previous state. "B - But Shad, you're…you know..."

After a moment, a long sigh escaped Shad's lips and he quickly removed the rest of his clothing, the sound of it eliciting a squeak from Link who was practically melting from embarrassment. He made his way into the water, the warmth actually somewhat calmed him down, and situated himself next to the other, who in response inched away.

"You know, Link, the others in our group know." He began quietly.

Link's face moved away from his arm and in the direction of Shad, but his gaze not directly on him. Since up to his collarbone was now submerged in water, he found it a lot easier to look at him, but his face remained the same shade of red.

"W - Why didn't anybody tell me?"

"I wanted to," his voice became softer with every word, "But I was afraid, I suppose."

"Afraid?" Link echoed, the blood in his face gradually leaving, "Of what?"

Shad didn't answer for a few seconds, but because he wasn't entirely sure of the answer himself, and Link somehow knew that.

"Afraid you would think differently of me." Finally came his reply.

Of course, Link didn't understand. He didn't have to say anything, though, because Shad already knew that and continued talking;

"When I was younger, I realized that living as a girl did not feel particularly _right_ to me, like I was trapped in my own body I guess you could say, like, well…Would you feel strange if everyone were to start calling you a girl out of nowhere?"

Link nodded.

"Like that. That was how I felt. So, I began living as a man, it felt more comfortable…" Shad's words trailed off and his eyes traced the waves of the water only to avoid looking at Link.

"I...see. I understand." Link said after a minute or two, "I think."

The scholar's eyes looked to him from the their corners as he awaited judgement. Yet, Link still seemed to have been processing the information he just received.

Then, he smiled.

"You should've said something sooner, now I feel really bad," he said, his eyes gently resting on Shad, which they hadn't been able to do during the whole conversation, "Sorry 'bout that."

"It...It is quite alright, old boy." That's what he said, but Shad was honestly shocked more than he was grateful. Not to say he wasn't relieved, because good Goddesses was he ever.

An arm suddenly wrapped around his shoulder and he was pulled tight into Link's side, followed up with an all-too familiar laugh. "You're way too nice of a guy! If it were me, I'd be kinda mad."

This time it was Shad's turn to go red as he tried to push himself out of Link's grip. "I hope you realize it is considered extremely rude to touch people without their direct permission when bathing together, so if you would kindly _get your arm from around me_—!"


End file.
